Teens with Cancer Face Special Issues

Date: 10/16/2019  Author: admin  Category:

Adolescence is a time of big physical, emotional, and social changes, which can make the teenage years tough and stressful for both teens and their parents. Going through these transitions gets even more difficult when you’re dealing with cancer too. Teens with cancer face special issues that differ from those faced by older and younger patients.

Knowing about these issues can help teens with cancer, their families, and their friends be better prepared to deal with them. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that living with cancer can be different for teens.

Differences in Diagnosis and Treatment

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), the most common types of cancer in teens are different than the most common types in children or adults. The most commonly diagnosed cancers in teens include leukemia, lymphoma, testicular cancer, and thyroid cancer.

Additionally, the NCI reports that recent research suggests that cancers in teens may have different genetic causes than the same types of cancers found in older or younger patients. This means teen patients may require different treatments.

Only about 1% of all cancer patients diagnosed in the US each year are teens age 15-19, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). As the ACS goes on to explain, most oncologists specialize in treating either children or adults, which means they may not be as comfortable treating teens.

Being stuck in the middle can leave teens with cancer feeling especially isolated, because they’re either being treated alongside children or older adults instead of their peers. The ACS encourages teen patients to get involved with support groups for teens with cancer, either in person or online. These groups give teens an outlet and a connection to other people who can relate to their experiences.

Concerns with Fertility

Another special concern that tends to affect teens more than older adults is the issue of being able to have biological children in the future. This is especially true because, as the ACS reports, testicular cancer and certain kinds of ovarian cancer are among the more common cancers found in teens and young adults. But cancer treatment may have effects on fertility for teens with other types of cancer too.

The NCI encourages teens and young adults to discuss concerns about future fertility with their doctor. According to Dr. Julie Strickland of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, current options include the freezing of sperm or eggs before treatment, as well as moving ovaries to keep them from being affected by radiation treatments.

Increased Risk of Depression

A cancer diagnosis increases the risk of depression for patients of all ages, but teens with cancer face a higher risk because of their special circumstances. Cancer diagnosis and treatment can disrupt the normal developmental process for teens, forcing them to become more dependent on their parents and isolating them from their friends.

Some studies have found that teens may experience worse pain and side effects during their cancer treatments than older adults, which can contribute to depression. Additionally, teens with cancer may struggle with fears and worries about their future ability to complete their education, start a career, marry, or raise a family.

Doctors, parents, and other loved ones should be aware of the increased risk for depression in teens with cancer as well as how to recognize potential symptoms.

Difficulties with Friendship

It’s part of the normal developmental process for teens to become closer to their peers. But cancer diagnosis and treatment can make that difficult. Friends of teens with cancer may feel awkward or unsure about how to maintain their friendships. They may not know what to say or do. Or they may be misinformed about cancer and even afraid of “catching” it.

All of these factors can lead to teens with cancer losing touch with their friends at a time when they need support the most. Resources like The National Children’s Cancer Society’s “Educational Guide for Friends of Teens with Cancer” can help other teens understand how to maintain their friendship and support their friend with cancer.

For instance, according to the Guide, teens with cancer reported that they most appreciated when their friends would simply visit and “hang out” with them. They liked when their friends treated them as normally as possible, while still understanding the teenage patient’s limitations in terms of energy and physical activity.

Guides like these can help teens know what to say and do to support their friend with cancer, which can alleviate one of the biggest difficulties for teens with cancer—social isolation.

Dealing with Long-Term Effects

Finally, another special issue for teens with cancer is dealing with long-term effects of cancer and treatment that older adults may not experience. As the ACS explains, because teens’ bodies are still developing, their organs and systems can be more sensitive to the side effects of chemo and radiation.

The NCI encourages teen survivors to make sure they get the follow-up care that they need, because those check-ups can both prevent future physical problems and provide emotional reassurance.

Conclusion

Teens with cancer face special issues that younger and older patients may not have. But with support and understanding of these issues, teenage patients and their loved ones can be better prepared to deal with them through diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer.

Ballet Dancing and Your Back

Date: 04/26/2019  Author: Jack Truet  Category:

Ballet dancers put a great deal of stress on their bodies due to the demanding nature of the activity. This is especially true in regards to the lower back, as back pain seems to go hand in hand with ballet. Luckily, there are things that can be done to alleviate this condition, before the need for back surgery arises. Strengthening your core muscles with Pilates or yoga is a good first step, especially if this back pain has just begun. It is vital that you do everything possible to prevent serious back injuries while doing ballet.

If your back pain reaches a critical stage, you should visit a doctor. A common ailment found in ballet dancers is called spondylolysis, which is a stress fracture in the spine. This stress fracture is caused by the bending and twisting that is involved with ballet dancing, as it can overload certain parts of the spine. Once this overload occurs, the bones in the spine are unable to support the body, which leads to small fractures. The constant stress that dancing with improper technique puts on your spine eventually fractures these bones and leads to a great deal of pain.

One way to prevent spondylolysis is to follow the correct form when dancing. Keeping your body aligned goes a long way in preventing injuries by minimizing the amount of strain that is put on the back. Your ballet instructor will teach you to keep your spine in a neutral position, as this helps you to avoid injuries. Work on your form consistently to avoid problems in the future. The better your form, the less chance there is of injuries occurring in the future.

Once a doctor diagnoses you with spondylolysis, the only treatment is a significant period of rest and, in some cases, an immobilizing brace on the spine. The brace is dependent on the amount of damage that has been done and the amount of pain that you are feeling. The road back to the dance floor will be a long one, as it takes significant time to strengthen your back muscles enough to support your spine again. Luckily, back surgery is not normally an option for this injury, unless it reaches a critical stage.

Just because you have experienced back pain, however, does mean that you have spondylolysis. This back pain could also come from other ailments like a herniated disk, muscle spasms, muscle strains, slipped vertebrae or a deformity in the vertebrae. Some of these conditions might require back surgery, but the majority just require rest and strengthening your core.

Back pain in ballet dancers is usually the result of moving your spine quickly in many different directions. This occurs because of the movements that are required to dance, which are not going to change. What can change, however, is the conditioning that you do before you dance, as building your core muscles can help keep your spine in place.

In addition, it is vital that you take the necessary rest when you do feel back pain, to prevent your injury from worsening. Do not go back to dancing until the pain is completely gone, as dancing too soon can lead to a serious injury. You should also warm up properly before you dance, as stiff muscles are more likely to strain than muscles that have been properly stretched and loosened.

Quotes About Doctors

Date: 03/29/2017  Author: Jack Truet  Category:

You know what they call the fellow who finishes last in his medical school graduating class? They call him ‘Doctor.’

– Abe Lemons

You may not be able to read a doctor’s handwriting and prescription, but you’ll notice his bills are neatly typewritten.

– Earl Wilson

I don’t go to the doctor except when I’m very ill, and when I go to India, I drink a drop of local water.

– Nassim Nicholas Taleb

As a medical doctor, it is my duty to evaluate the situation with as much data as I can gather and as much expertise as I have and as much experience as I have to determine whether or not the wish of the patient is medically justified.

– Jack Kevorkian

I think if I took therapy, the doctor would quit. He’d just pick up the couch and walk out of the room.

– Don Rickles

A doctor gave a man six months to live. The man couldn’t pay his bill, so he gave him another six months.

– Henny Youngman

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

– Jesus Christ

I will say that walking down the street, getting on the subway, taking the elevator, if there’s one or two people and they say, ‘Great job, Mayor,’ that is a real turn-on. I mean, anybody that wouldn’t find that satisfying, rewarding, exciting, thrilling – I think they should see the doctor.

– Michael Bloomberg

Parenting a Struggling Teen-The Pinnacle Schools Reviews

Date: 08/14/2013  Author: Jack Truet  Category:
If you are parenting a struggling teenager, it is so tempting to constantly clean up their mess when they mess up. Sure, when kids are younger, it’s natural to help them pick up all the pieces when they mess up. Maybe your 8 year old mistakenly left some homework in his room, so you drove back to school to make sure he had his homework. However, as your child grows older, saving the day for your teen may not be the right thing to do. For example, if your 17 year old child leaves homework at home, you may need to let them experience some of the consequences of his own actions.

Learning how to let go and let your teen learn from their mistakes it difficult. But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you are abandoning your teen. For example, if your child is using drugs and stealing money from you to pay for their habit, you can make sure they deal with the consequences while still being there for your child. Let them know that the behavior has to stop. You may want to have them get involved in a drug treatment program before they are able to return to your home. You are there to help them get beyond their struggle without enabling their bad behavior.

Of course, letting go while still being there for your team can be a delicate balance and it will depend upon the individual situation. The challenge for you is to find the balance between hanging on to your teen and letting go so they can learn from their mistakes and improve their behavior. When it is tough to let go, remember that hanging on to your teen too tightly can end up increasing the problem, resulting in more rebellion from your teen. Continue to be supportive of your teen, but it is time to let go and find the balance between letting go and hanging on. Read More

How to Avoid a Shoulder Injury

Date: 05/31/2013  Author: Jack Truet  Category:

No one wants to injure their body, but there are certain things that you are doing that could result in you needing shoulder surgery. To help prevent a trip to the shoulder surgeon, take a few moments to look over the following items that could help you to reduce these risks.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to warm up properly before you plan on doing anything that will involve the use of your shoulders. This will include spending time properly stretching your muscles and ensuring that you don’t try to overdo lifting that can put too much stress on the shoulders.

In addition to warming up, you will find that another thing you can do to help reduce the need for shoulder surgery as the result of an injury, will be to build up the muscle in the area. This can be done through a series of exercises that focus on safely building the muscle mass in your shoulders and keeping it protected. If you aren’t sure if this form of exercise is good for the current condition you are in, check with your doctor or a shoulder surgeon to ensure that there isn’t an additional risk for injury. Read More

Assistance from a Troubled Teen School

Date: 03/13/2013  Author: Jack Truet  Category:

Parents, if you are like me, you may need to seek the assistance of troubled teen school. They provide the support programs your teen needs that we parents aren’t equipped to provide.

A lot of the schools that are available offer a team of professionals to help your child.  This team focuses on improving a troubled teen’s self-esteem, confidence, and they help them improve in school. These teams generally work with parents and their troubled teen to develop a treatment plan. Read More

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in Sports

Date: 01/25/2013  Author: admin  Category:

When the median nerve gets trapped in the wrist this is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But pain is not the only symptom of CTS. It also causes other problems such as pins and needles or tingling, weakness and numbness. Because the nerve actually passes through the carpal tunnel it can sustain injury when the wrist is over used.

A look at the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome

Those with CTS complain that there is numbness in their fingers. This numbness usually affects the thumb, the index finger, and the ring finger. The numbness tends to arise usually at night. Of course, anyone who has had CTS will tell you that there is pain. This pain can be so intense that it actually wakes the person up from sleep. There might also be a burning sensation felt in the fingers. Some people complain that they are not able to grip or hold things with the same strength that they usually do.

One must not overlook that the symptoms of CTS are also like those of Paresthesia. This affects the thoracic outlet in the arm. Because the median nerve we mentioned before passes through this area of the forearm before it reaches the carpal tunnel, it can become trapped and cause symptoms like those we have already looked at.

What are the causes of CTS?

Unfortunately we are not entirely sure of what the precise cause of CTS is but anything that raises the pressure on the carpal tunnel is a likely candidate. This would include those involved in sports or other activities that involve the risks associated with over use. Other possible causes for CTS include arthritis, trauma, tumors, and even obesity. Read More

Sports Take a Toll on Knees

Date: 05/07/2012  Author: admin  Category:

It would be strange to think that even a Yankees’ hater could want Mariano Rivera’s career to end with a freak  a torn right ACL that he suffered while shagging fly balls during batting practice. See the story here. It seems that sports are the nemesis of knees. Even professionals are not immune.  Female athletes  are 5 times more likely to injure their ACL than the male athlete (participating in intensive leg use sports).

Hope for Depressed Teens

Date: 04/17/2012  Author: admin  Category:

If you even slightly suspect your teenager may be suffering with depression, it is important you seek the relevant help. Even if you are not 100-percent sure what the problem is, emotional, irritable and bothersome behavior all add up to a troubled teen. When you first approach your teenager, it is important you are not judgmental about their feelings or behavior. Explain to them gently exactly what you have noticed that has led to you feeling concerned and encourage them to be open about what the root cause may be. It is not unusual for a depressed teen to feel isolated and misunderstood. This, in turn, can make it difficult for them to be honest about how they are really feeling. Read More

Helmets for Racers – Keep Your Head On Straight

Date: 04/16/2012  Author: admin  Category:

One thing I love to do on the weekends is either ride my motorcycle fast or actually race. Being in the health industry I know firsthand what can happen to people that ride stupid. By stupid I mean, without protective gear.  If you love to ride then your helmet is obviously much more than a fashion statement. The other day someone asked me what is the best helmet to buy. Wow, there are so many choices. Start out by making sure you are looking only at motorcycle helmets designed for racing because they have extra protection. These days there is no excuse to not wear a top of the line racing helmet to protect your head. There are so many discount motorcycle helmets available. They might be last years close out special but they still look great and, better yet, do the job of protecting your head.

When trying on racing helmets, make sure that it feels light on your head so you won’t have trouble turning as needed. The hard and soft ratio is important, as it ensures the helmet can withstand the force of impact in an accident, rather than placing all of the force on your head. A good, well-made Helmet protects you in a wreck and keeps you comfortable and cool during a long ride.

Whether choosing a motorcycle helmet for pleasure riding or racing, remember that safety has to come before style. Try to find something in the middle: safe and easy on the eyes.  Be sure to look at many of the countless video reviews on helmets. You can buy another helmet but another head is hard to come by.

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